for puppy activities. This is why timing the arrival of a litter is important. A
concerned breeder checks the calendar when planning a breeding to make
sure that puppies will not be neglected. If certain social obligations or an
unusually heavy workload will occur at a particular time of the year, a litter
should not be bred to arrive at such a time.
The breeder who is not willing to give some time to the puppies should let
someone else do breeding and puppy raising. There are enough poorly
adjusted dogs in the world now that did not get the people-care they needed
while they were puppies.
This is where the so-called “puppy mills” are totally negligent. The
people who operate these mills have a large number of female dogs whose
only function is to produce puppies for profit and that are often kept
isolated in cages, boxes, or other very small areas. This so-called “breeder”
has no understanding of the needs of the dog and does not realize the
damage done to a pup’s personality by giving him no socialization during
the first eight weeks. It is not only extreme cruelty to keep the parent dogs
in such confining isolation, but it is also cruel to the puppies to deny them
the socialization they must have if they are to adjust to living with people as
they grow up.
Today, so much has been learned about dog behavior that there is no
excuse for a socially maladjusted dog. Whether you are a breeder who is
introducing the world of dogs to newcomers, or whether you are a first-time
puppy owner, there is much you can do to make this a good world for your
pet. You may not have the luxury of many days and weeks to be a partner in
your puppy’s personality development. But you don’t have to give up a
normal routine and become a “puppy-recluse” in order to accomplish your
goal. Mostly, you just need to be aware of what’s going on in the natural
process as a newborn puppy grows from a “blob” into a bouncing young
adult.
